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New Year's Eve 2000
Thirty-two cities around the UK shared just over £6 million to celebrate New Year's Eve 2000.
Aberdeen
Aberdeen celebrated Hogmanay through a wide range of activities. A network of community parties across the city encouraged everyone to be involved. Events in the city centre included children's entertainment, a family street party on Union Street in the afternoon, beacon lighting, street theatre, music and a free ice skating rink and special themed ice performances. A fireworks display at midnight lit up the skies over the harbour and the city centre.
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Belfast
Belfast built upon the success of the First Weekend celebrations, which contributed to the developing sense and vision of a shared city. In 2000, organisers ended the Millennium Festival with a day-long "People's Celebration" which aimed to stimulate more community involvement and a sense of civic pride through participation in a wide ranging programme of activities. The event kicked off at 1pm with a family funfair and street entertainers in the city centre and a food festival and jazz concert in St George's Market. In the evening there was a people's parade and a laser light show, followed by a programme of top class entertainment through until midnight, when there was a second laser light spectacular. At St George's Market Square there was a folk festival, tribute bands and a major headline attraction, together with an indoor pyrotechnic display at midnight.
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Birmingham
A day-long programme of wide ranging activity which included family entertainment featuring local artists, children's groups, panto characters, street theatre and music. Evening entertainment encompassed music, dance, lights and fireworks in the city centre.
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Blackpool
Blackpool provided a New Year celebration that had something for everyone.
People took part in arts and community based events, the Golden Mile Beach Fun Run in the morning, a Viking parade and Beacon lighting in the evening and a fireworks display along the Promenade at midnight.
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Bournemouth
A balloon release began the BH2000 festivities which saw Bournemouth ablaze with an enormous fireworks display, fashion shows and a large stage production. The focus of the stage production in Bournemouth Square was amateur and community groups who were on stage for most of the day. Music was provided throughout the celebrations by jazz bands, African and Australian performers, Bournemouth Youth Theatre and an Elvis impersonator. During the evening the stage hosted an impressive lighting and sound display, while the Bourne Stream saw a floating candlelight procession featuring lanterns made by local school children.
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Bradford
Bradford hosted a day-long multi-cultural event, which transformed the city centre into a mass of colour, street entertainment and world music celebrations. Different themed events offered something for everyone. They included Kids Zone featuring circus workshops, juggling and stiltwalkers; an international celebration of live music, dance and crafts called 'World in One City'; and a giant BMX/skateboard circuit around the Little Germany area of the city. In the evening, the City's Centenary Square hosted a huge party with live music and a spectacular firework finale.
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Brighton & Hove
Brighton & Hove promised a range of activities with an international flavour.
The day-long programme included street theatre and music followed by an early evening lantern procession. A cultural link up with Amiens in Northern France saw French artists performing on the streets of the city and a video link between the two towns. The evening events culminated in a midnight beach firework display while live music was performed from stages in central Brighton until the early hours.
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Bristol
Bristol welcomed in the New Year with a spectacular open-air concert in the city centre's Queen Square, featuring performances of a song written by a local composer. Celebrating all that's best about Bristol, this free concert was designed to appeal to all ages. Special lighting effects and street entertainment added to the atmosphere of the evening during the build-up to midnight, when a firework display lit up the city docks.
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Cardiff
Building on the success of the previous year's events, Cardiff offered three days of activities to celebrate Clannig. Festivities included a Winter Fairground, interactive technology including a Kidzone in the City Hall, street entertainment during the days and the opportunity for people to add their pledges to resolution trees. On New Year's Eve entertainment continued with a spectacular lantern procession, Beacon lighting and a family fire show. There was live music in the evening from Salsa Celtica and Showaddywaddy. Midnight was marked with fireworks, lasers and lights to bring the event to a spectacular finish.
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Coventry
From the team that brought one of the highlights on NYE99 - Ramon Kelvick Jr's tightrope walk - came another millennium year extravaganza, Phoenix Risen. In 2000 there was more than 12 hours of music, laughter and thrills on five stages set out across Coventry City Centre. World music, special guests, human circus, a lantern procession and headlining bands all featured.
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Dundee
Dundee's Hogmanay 2000 brought people of all ages and backgrounds together to celebrate the success of a year of special events and community involvement with events from 10.30am to midnight. Highlights included a stunning ice show at the Ice Arena; an exciting arts project using light; a Hogmanay cycle ride; street theatre and entertainment for the whole community. The day culminated in a fireworks display from Dundee Law, an extinct volcano that dominates the city's skyline and is visible from all quarters. There was no gathering on the Law as the display is better viewed from afar and was accompanied by a simultaneous broadcast on Wave 102 radio. The beacon on the Law was lit at 8pm as part of the national New Year's Eve 2000 celebrations.
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Edinburgh
Edinburgh promised a repeat of many of the successful elements of its traditional Hogmanay programme. The event included indoor and outdoor activities aimed at all
ages. These included concerts - some family focused, one candlelit and others later in the evening featuring headline popular bands. A range of street performers from all over the world entertained the crowd and the traditional Hogmanay street party continued until the early hours, centred on Princes Street, Edinburgh's world famous main thoroughfare.
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Glasgow
Glasgow's famous evening Hogmanay was extended to include an exciting new afternoon event specially created for families at a spectacular new venue - the Glasgow Science Centre. The activities kicked off at 3.30pm with the Clyde 1FM roadshow with the sound and light spectacular beginning at 5pm. Giant projections representing Glasgow past, present and future filled the sides of the IMAX building and the Messages to World collected from the shopping centre were highlighted in a 20 minute-long breathtaking sound and light presentation. A Parade of Light followed, featuring children from five schools. The Riverside celebrations culminated at approximately 6pm with a spectacular fireworks and light show that was designed by the world leading pyrotechnics Group F who created the previous year's display at the Eiffel Tower. The evening programme celebrated Glasgow's vibrant nightlife culture with six music and dance stages across city centre locations including the Radio 1 Millennium Dance Party in George Square and a street party in Merchant City Square.
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Hull
People from across Hull banded together in a giant celebration to welcome in the year 2001, united in a call for worldwide freedom from slavery. The city wide celebration involved freedom festivities at a host of venues, including community centres, and a live link with one of the countries still fighting to break free from slavery. The freedom event culminated in the lighting of beacons and the breaking of symbolic chains by community groups across the city. At midnight everyone in Hull was asked to join in singing the freedom anthem Something Inside So Strong by Labi Siffre. This signalled support for Hull's ongoing campaign to rid the world of slavery in the 21st century, following on the work of the city's famous son, slavery abolitionist William Wilberforce.
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Inverness
Inverness promised a day-long party including street entertainers, Highland dancing, massed pipe bands, a free family disco in G's nightclub and a treasure hunt. At 5.30pm the Millennium Beacon was lit to signify the start of a torchlight parade and a Riverlights spectacular. As the Riverlights came on there was a firework display at Inverness Castle, which was be choreographed to music and simultaneously broadcast on MFR radio so that people all over the Moray Firther area could enjoy the show. The Riverlights show signalled the end of the official celebrations. At midnight Cathedral bells welcomed in the New year and there was a second spectacular pryotechnic display.
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Leeds
New Year's Eve celebrations focused on the city's Millennium Square, a new £12 million public space which has received £5.5 million from the Millennium Commission. The Event featured a specially-commissioned, multi-media performance on Millennium Square, in addition to a colourful street parade, a live music stage, street theatre, a New Year's Eve market and a showpiece fireworks display at midnight throughout the city centre.
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Leicester
On December 31st 2000, Leicester was host to the biggest New Year's Eve celebrations the city has ever seen. Entertainment and activities started on Sunday morning and continued until early the following morning and represented, all of Leicester's multi-cultural communities. Throughout the city centre, there was something for everyone to enjoy, including extensive live music and street performances. The finale to the day's entertainment was be a spectacular laser and firework display.
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Liverpool
Liverpool became a 'Festival City' with a Children's Festival having a Dickensian theme. A Festival of Street Theatre was held throughout the City, together with amusement parks, Millennium wheel and live stage at Chavasse Park. Liverpool's spectacular waterfront was the venue for a Festival of Fun with a hug party, pop concerts and a firework display and light show. Liverpool showcased its Millennium community spirit on the shortest day of the year, with a major charity event and, on New Year's Eve, the lighting of the Millennium Beacon.
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London
London celebrated New Year's Eve with events spread across the capital. 18 London boroughs received funding to put on a wide variety of events:
- Barnet - Firework Finale 2000
Barnet provided a number of firework displays incorporating the lighting
of a Beacon. A range of other activities included crowd entertainers,
a funfair, stunts and a parachute display team.
- Bromley - Lights Over London
Bromley's New Year's Eve celebrations included a choreographed firework
extravaganza with music at a high vantage point in Crystal Palace Park.
- Croydon - Forest of Fire
A spectacular light show, a firework display in Lloyd Park, a funfair and
live performers made a celebration to mark the coming of a New Year.
- Enfield
An afternoon and early evening programme centred around the lighting of a
laser flower beacon at the Civic Centre. Following the beacon lighting local
children in carnival costumes lead a procession to Enfield Town Park for a
fireworks display.
- Greenwich & Docklands Festival - First Night 2001
Celebrated the passing of the year and the coming of the 'real' new
millennium, with street theatre, light, music and fire guaranteed to
take the chill out of mid-winter, culminating in a dazzling finale.
- Haringey - Shine 2000
This free event was a combination of children's entertainment and activities
culminating in the beacon lighting and a large firework display.
- Harrow - Harrow@2001
An exciting family event on New Year's Eve with a family funfair, community
entertainment, tribute bands and a firework finale.
- Havering - Happy New Year Havering
This was a family event with bands, free funfair, children's entertainment,
fireworks and a beacon lighting.
- Hillingdon - Western Lights
A laser and firework spectacular was launched from Stockley Park, Uxbridge at 7pm.
- Hounslow - Playtime 2000
A funday for the family which included children's
entertainment, fire eaters, music, exhibitions and dancing culminating in a
spectacular firework display.
- Lee Valley Park Authority - 'Dial a Display'
Laser and light shows that lit up East London.
- Newham - A Newham New Year
An evening event that included the lighting of a beacon, a funfair, street
entertainers and an early evening and midnight firework displays. There were
also midnight palais Latin American and swing bands.
- Redbridge
An event including multicultural music, professional bands and a funfair with
an avenue of light through the park and fireworks at midnight.
- Southwark
A spectacular fireworks display within Burgess Park, Peckham Rye and Millwall
Football Club for the whole family.
- Tower Hamlets - Old Year's Night
Entertainers and funfairs were situated on both sites (Island Gardens and
Victoria Park), along with a spectacular pyrotechnic tower in the Gardens
and a magnificent fireworks display in the park.
- Waltham Forest
This community event saw the largest fireworks display ever held in the borough.
There was be a real party atmosphere with music from local bands, a carnival
display, stunt man and children's entertainment.
- Somerset House - Somerset House Ice Rink
Somerset House was transformed into an ice palace with the creation of a full
size outdoor ice-skating rink in its magnificent 18th Century Courtyard from
14 December 2000 - 7 January 2001.
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Londonderry
Londonderry/Derry hosted a family fancy dress celebration to mark the "Turn of the Century" in Guildhall Square and the surrounding area. The event featured the "City of Song", Carnival and Soca Dance, a Drumming Beacon by local school children with musical family fireworks at 9pm plus a midnight fireworks display launched against the backdrop of the River Foyle.
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Manchester
Building on the success of the previous New Year's Eve Manchester, Salford, Trafford and Tameside hosted a day-long programme of events centre around 3 separate squares in Manchester and the Lowry Centre in Salford, with satellite links between each location. Events included dance, parades and street entertainment, a firework sculpture and display and the lighting of millennium beacons. There was both community participation and collaboration in the events with a broad range of local schools and community groups being targeted.
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Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough's action-packed "M2000 - Let's Celebrate" programme of events to celebrate the Millennium culminated in a spectacular finale on New Year's Eve. There was be music by local bands, street theatre, circus skills and other entertainment designed to create a carnival atmosphere - and the whole thing was broadcast live by Radio Cleveland to celebrate their 30th anniversary. And at 12 midnight, the crowds enjoyed a fireworks display and a special Millennium beacon to see out the old and bring in the new.
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Newcastle
Newcastle organised simultaneous celebrations at the bustling Haymarket and on the scenic Quayside. Haymarket's highlights included a spectacular early evening procession led by Germany's internationally renowned Theatre Titanick. Newcastle's famous Quayside was transformed into a gigantic auditorium including film projection across the river onto a 250sq metre screen and an incredible pyrotechnic and light show on the historic Tyne Bridge. Add in street theatre, music stages, fireworks and above all the fantastic atmosphere generated by 150,000 partying Geordies!
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Norwich
The celebrations began during the afternoon with street theatre and a cavalcade of carnival costumes followed by a candlelit procession through the city centre. In the evening there was a fun packed party with live music, dancing and entertainers, followed by a sing song of Auld Lang Syne at midnight and an explosive firework finale from the historic rooftops of Norwich with Samba band drummers playing out the old year.
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Nottingham
A street theatre festival started the day on New Year's Eve with jugglers, musicians and costumed characters. Celebrations continued with a spectacular carnival procession and fire show, complemented by an impressive lighting display and music from around the world. The celebrations culminated in a music, laser and light show at midnight.
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Oxford
Plans for the celebrations included a special pyrotechnics and lighting display staged around the city centre in the late afternoon and early evening of New Year's Eve. Community groups from all around the city were invited to participate in the celebrations and special events planned throughout the day and evening.
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Peterborough
There were a range of free community celebrations around the city in a number of community venues, including street parties, fireworks, a touring Old Time Music Hall programme in six venues and the lighting ceremony of a new city centre beacon in the cathedral. There was a major parade and march past which featured different organisations such as schools and youth and community groups. The focus of the city centre celebrations was the events on Cathedral Square which included live music, featuring local bands, new up-and-coming pop acts, a countdown clock and laser display.
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Plymouth
Plymouth planned a range of activities throughout the day in various communities, rather than one central event. These included a tea dance, a sports festival featuring appearances by local sporting personalities, a Glen Miller 'Big Band' party and a 'big gun' artillery firing from Crownhill Fort. During the evening Millennium Beacons were lit around Plymouth, and a major light and sound spectacular based on John Bartlett's poem "City by the Sea" took place in front of the Guildhall. At midnight fireworks illuminated the sky from six locations across the city.
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Sheffield
Sheffield celebrated with an evening of exciting entertainment, providing a family atmosphere of carnival and creativity, sound and spectacle. The event drew on successes from the previous year - the lighting of the Millennium Beacon, a spectacular firework display above the historic town hall, live music in the Peace Gardens, colourful street entertainers, a funfair and giant outdoor disco. And it used the magical elements of fire, ice and water to create a stunning and memorable focus to the celebrations.
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Southampton
Southampton is proposing to stage major celebrations focusing on the historical journeys, which gave the city its name of "Gateway to the World", such as the D-Day landings. The celebrations encompassed street festivals and entertainment depicting these Great Journeys. An historic street market was held in Western Esplanade and music and dance events entertained shoppers. The day culminated in a Carnival of Light parade including lantern processions and Beacon lighting. At midnight a light and projection installation presented a pictorial history of the great journey's associated with the city on the Medieval City Walls.
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Swansea
Swansea Spectrum was full of entertainment for all the family. Street performers caught the eye of shoppers throughout the city centre, and those walking around the craft market at the Brangwyn Hall, accompanied by performances from the local youth orchestra. A Kids Play Zone formed part of the fun with mask making, arts and crafts, face painting and balloon modelling. This culminated in a masquerade procession to Swansea's Millennium Beacon. The Millennium Beacon was lit at dusk with a ceremony and entertainment from local artists, drawing to a close the family activities planned for the day. An evening concert continued the celebrations, with the finale - a grand fireworks display sending bursts of colour into the sky above Swansea Bay.
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Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton's "Out of Darkness" event included a large scale show in the town centre, street entertainment, workshops, a tea dance and fireworks from different locations in the town. This was supplemented by the near simultaneous lighting of various churches through the Out of Darkness scheme. There were also the other elements of light included in the event from photography to a luminescent procession into the town centre on New Year's Eve.
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